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Encouragement for Today - Mar. 28, 2008

“The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” Genesis 3:6 (NLT)

Devotion:

Eve tends to get a bad rap. Yes, I know she earned it by ushering sin into mankind, but I'm just not so sure I wouldn't have done the same thing. So, I'm leery about throwing stones at Eve.

You see, I too would've been tempted by the serpent's promise. I have a compelling desire to be "in the know." I don't like feeling like I'm missing out. Like Eve, I desire wisdom. And I certainly don't want to be intentionally held out on - especially by a God I'd been trusting to tell me the truth.

Satan convinced Eve that God was indeed holding out on her ... He was holding back some deliciously ripe fruit, and lying to her about the consequences of eating it. She wouldn't die, He just didn't want her to attain His status with the ability to know good and evil. Well, that last part is true. You see what Eve knew up until this point was only Good. Everything she saw, experienced, and knew was Good. What she did not know yet was Evil, at least not until she ran into the serpent and sank her teeth into that fruit. Then she knew it all too well, as feelings of guilt, shame and fear flooded her. Those feelings drove her to hide from God, for she knew there would be consequences. And there were ... including being booted from the garden of goodness.

Sadly, Eve and her husband, in swallowing the fruit, had swallowed traces of evil sinfulness that would somehow fuse themselves into the first couple's spiritual DNA. God wanted to ensure they didn't also eat from the tree of eternal life while they were in this state. In His sweet mercy, God kept Eve (and you and I) from living forever in a spiritual state of sin.

So, its true, God was holding something out on Eve - knowledge of evil. How I wish I didn't know evil. If only Eve could’ve seen what I see: the only thing God was holding back from her was something not worth tasting, not worth knowing, and not worth possessing.

Do you ever feel like God might be holding good things out on you?

Sometimes I look around and wonder why I don't have this, or why I can't do that. I guess the wise response would be to just trust God that He will provide everything I need and nothing I don't. Why does that feel so hard to settle for? Why does accepting God's ways even feel like settling at all? I suspect it’s because I have the same impulse Eve did - to have and know it all.

Do you ever fear that following God's orders fully will cost you too much - more than you care to give up?

In Genesis 3:3, Eve makes God's orders about not eating from the tree even more restrictive than they actually were by claiming that He said she couldn't even touch the tree or its fruit. Don't we do that sometimes too ... make what God calls us to do or not do seem even more restrictive or unreasonable than it really is?While reading of Eve's adventures in the garden, I decided I want to cement in my soul the truth that I can follow God’s orders with complete trust that He has my best interests in mind and at heart.

I also decided, in honor of Eve who always gets a bad rap, to make a big bowl of apple salad with celery, walnuts and raisins. As I tasted the crunchy, fruit salad I thought: Oh Eve, how I wish you hadn't eaten that apple! But I also understand why you did. Hopefully, I will learn from your mistakes.

Dear Lord, You know my compulsive desire to have and know it all.You realize my impulse to be in control.You also know because of these I sometimes act against your wishes.Forgive me, and create in me a content, obedient heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

If you’d like to learn more about women of the Bible, visit Rachel Olsen’s blog to read her online study.